Zeeland store owner vows to stop selling synthetic marijuana

John Agar | Grand Rapids PressDwayne Boyd, with sign, protests alleged sales of a product described as synthetic marijuana.

ZEELAND, MI — The owner of a party store in Zeeland says he will stop selling synthetic marijuana — also known as “spice” — on Wednesday.

Ajay Seghal, owner of AJ’s Grocery and Liquor on Washington Avenue, confirmed Monday that he will stop selling the product, often sold as incense or potpourri. The decision comes less than a week after protestors lined the street outside Seghal’s business in Batts Plaza to protest the sale of synthetic marijuana, which is legal but has been linked to psychotic episodes and other potential side effects.

Still, organizers of Friday’s protest say they will push city leaders to pass an ordinance banning future sales. Lynn Prins and Anita Cushman say they’ve collected 160 signatures so far and are ready to collect more to urge passage of a ban.

“I think if the city did this, we’d be leading by example,” Cushman said, hoping that neighboring communities might also consider prohibiting synthetic marijuana from being sold.

Prins brought a couple of small containers of spice to present to council members Monday, one of which had a smiley face on it. She says the product is being marketed to kids.

“If you saw it in your daughter’s purse, you’d think it was lip gloss,” Prins said.

About 40 people turned out for Friday’s protest. City Council members praised the protestors Monday for their willingness to take on the issue.

“What you did seemed to push the right buttons,” Mayor Kevin Klynstra said.

Prins and Cushman want to make sure Seghal lives up to his word, and they’re prepared to have another protest if he changes his mind. “I’m not going to let this rest,” Prins said.

No proposal has been put together, but city officials say they’ll look at what’s being done in other communities.